The Prince of Tennis - Unsolved Mystery
by kurie-tibiti
Summary: An inferno blazed into the night, the firefighters tried to battle it while their comrades went to search for any survivors. The building, though abandoned was a hotspot for kids. A lone figure, that of a child was brought out of the rubble. A worried Nanjiro waited by the phone pacing waiting for a late Ryoma. Ryo/Fuji brotherly love.
1. Angry Inferno

**The Prince Of Tennis**  
_Chapter ONE: Angry Inferno_

The fire blazed high into the night sky and the fire fighters fought desperately to get the blaze under control. The fighters with their hoses watched with anticipation and appreciation as many more went into the burning warehouse. The fire had been spotted by a resident of a neighbouring district on his late night jog. No one was around the inferno at the time and worry set in. The place had been abandoned for years but kids loved to go in there for dares or a party. He stood off to the side speaking with the fire chiefs and police discussing what he saw earlier that night.

The stairs to the left of the front doors still stood firm; concrete still holding up to the heat. The warehouse was 3 stories high and as two men searched the main floor four more went up the steps. The place looked empty; the main floor held the odd machine for leather pressing but otherwise it was nothing but a vast dance floor.

The top floor held nothing much to the two firefighters relief. The rooms held clutter of all sorts and some were nears impossible to enter with the fire.

On the second floors fighter found a boy tied to a chair unconscious. Cutting away the rope the fighter placed a mask over his face and brought him down the steps. The ceiling above them began to cave in. The front stairwell officially blocked with derby and angry blazing fire. The fighter made a detour down the left hall and to the rear stairs burning and groaning under the weight.

"Front stairs blocked, I'm headed to the rear. I found a kid tied up to a chair on the second floor. Bring him down now." Replied the fighter into his mask communicator.

The search was over and the fighters made their way out the building to their hoses. The mysterious boy, unconscious, was placed on the waiting gurney ready to head out to the hospital.

Nanjiro was worried it was very late and Ryoma was still not home. He called Ryuzaki to question when practice had led out. Practice had been over for hours.

The phone rang and Nanjiro answered quickly seeing the name on the display as Ryoma.

"Ryoma, where are you it's late!"

"Sir, this is Cathy with the hospital the owner of this cell was just brought in; can I assume this person is someone you know?" She asked calmly.

"Yes, he's my son. What happened to him why is he there?" Nanjiro asked beginning to worry.

"If you could come down Dr. Hue would be able to explain the circumstances in detail."

"I'll be right down. Thank you."


	2. Mystery ONE - Familiar Faces

**The Princeo f Tennis  
**_Chapter TWO: Mystery one - Familiar Faces_

Nanjiro was near panic, Ryoma had been brought to the hospital but the cause had been withheld from him. He drove the bike quickly down the streets flying by everyone on the sidewalk.

"Gommen, it's an emergency." He called back to a couple he nearly ran over.

He never even bothered to lock up his bike, placing it in the bike rack he ran up thepath to the front doors and to the receptionist of the emergency room. The name 'Cathy" was clear on her name tag.

"My son, you called to say he was here. Can I see him?"

"You son's name is Ryoma as per our conversation correct?" She asked. At Nanjiros nodd she directed him to the family waiting area just down the hall.

Nanjiro sat in a chair elbows on his kneas head in his hands. The clacking of heals brought his attention to a beautiful lady in front of him. She wore a blue skirt and pink button-up shirt under her white doctors coat.

"You are Ryoma-kun's father correct?"

"Yes I am, is my son alright?"

"He was found by firefighters in an abandond warehouse that had caught on fire some time ago. We aren't sure how long he's been in there but from the damage it's been a while. He's unconcious right now and we have him on oxygen. When he was found; he was tied to a chair. Do you know why he would be there in that condition?"

"I don't know, he was supposed to come strait home from school, we play tennis once he comes home so I was waiting for him. He never mentioned meeting anyone. How could someone do that to him? And leave him there to burn to death." Nanjiro clenched his fist, it was frustration not knowing the answers to his questions.

Dr. Hue becond him to follow her, she led him to a room down the hall on the right. Ryoma was on the bed tucked in with a mask over his face and an IV in his arm. His face was bruised and his lip was split. The arm on top of the covers that held his IV was severe roap burns hidden by gauze and medicine. Nanjiro walked over to Ryoma's side and held his hand.

"He'll be ok we just need to wait for him to wake up. He will wake up, not to worry; it's only a matter of time. Stay with him, once he wake please call for a nurse. The police will also want to question him as well."

"Of course; thank you Dr. Hue."

Ryoma hadn't show up to school, everyone was worried it wasn't like him to skip and not show up. In all the time he'd been there he had never gotten sick; it seemed among the regulars it was a running joke how Ryoma's immune system was like the perfect little army.

At practice Ryuzaki-sensei (Teacher) gathered everyone around. Tezuka-buchou (Captain) stood beside her and gave Eij 'a look' to quiet him down.

"Ryoma's father called me late last night. Ryoma's been taken to hospital; he's currently in stable condition.' Tezuka Buchou glared again to hush the whispers 'he was found late last night beaten and tied to a chair in an abandoned warehouse. He's been treated for smoke inhilation as well as burns to his wrists from the ropes. He's currently unconcious and not able to answer any questions but Nanjirou said he'd call once he's woken up." Ryuzaki-sensi cleared her throat and looked away for a moment.

"The police will definetly want to talk to him onces he's awake. But depending on what he can remember he may or may not be of any use. Echizen's father has asked us to look out for him, to ensure he's not left alone at any time. Who ever did this to him; they left him in a burning building alive and didn't care if he lived or died."

"we'll look after Ochibi, no problem." Eji shouts.

"I normally pick him up on our way to school any how so I'll make sure to continue."

"There is a 79% chance who ever did this will find out he's alive and come back for him. We'll have to keep our eyes open and really be aware of what's around up."

Ryoma finally woke up a couple days after he entered the hospital, his father was sitting beside him with Nanako. He looked over to Ryoma and smiled the reliefe on his face seemed to melt the ages that seemed to have apeared on his face away.

"He's awake." Nanako replied with a giddiness to her voise out in the hall.

"Good to see you awake Ryoma-kun. I'm Dr. Hue, I've been looking after you while you were unconciouse. You've been out for two days due to smoke inhilation from a fire in the abandoned warehouse you were found in. How do you feel?" she asked.

"Ok, tired but I really want to get out of here." replied Ryoma.

"Well the police will be here shortly and they really want to talk to you if thats alright. I'd like to take a look at you once more and then we'll go from there. How does that sound?" Ryoma nodded, not much else he could do.

The police had asked many questions, he couldn't answere very much of them he remembered very little from that night. He clearly remembered leaving the school after practice and walking home but half way there someone had stopped him and asked him some strange questions. The questions themselves were lost on him but the feeling of strangeness and uneasyness stayed with him.

Not long after the police left another person came in by the name of Shin Wong, he was the police department sketch artist. Even though there wasn't much to go on Ryoma still agreed to give them what he knew. Judging by the majoriy of people who live close to the area Ryoma was found they decided to stick with pure Japanese decent. Add hazel eyes and dark blue hair with light blue highlights with an innocent look about their face and the sketch was done.

The picture looked familliar to him but not a positive ID, so the hunt began for a nameless person, who may or may not be involved; was sought for questioning.


	3. Mystery TWO - White Hat

**Prince of Tennis**  
_Mystery Two White Hat_

Ryoma was released from the hospital and currently on his way to school with Momo beside him. He was strangly silent, no questions of what happened or if he was alright. The silence suited him just fine; he wouldn't know how to explain anything any how; not that he knew anything in order to explain.

His sleep had been turbulant and wraked with nightmares. Strange, unfamiliar faces with evil grins and cackling laughs. Figures standing tall surounding him with a ring of fire. The dream had repeated over and over always ending the same, a call of a name on his lips but a scream is all that comes as he wakes up and the name lost to him.

He himself felt a little odd these days too, perhaps it was the lack of memory or the fact that he felt tense as if expecting something to happen. The trip to school was uneventfull and first class was quiet. His freinds welcomed him back with a clap to his back and shoulder but the questions died of their lips with a look from one in perticular. Horio sat down at his desk with a smile and winked to Ryoma.

Classes were going by smoothly, his attention was a bit sporadic but he was coping ok. Ryoma looked outside the window and across the school yard. A man stood outside and it felt like be was looking right at him. Ryoma continued to stare, his eyes made their way to Ryoma's. his eyes were as red as fire and held as much in passion from the little he could see.

A tap to Ryoma's shoulder brought him back to class. The teacher stood next to him with a worried look; it's true he'd never done something like this before. He had completely zoned out and the call of his name by the teacher had done nothing to bring him back to them.

"You alright Ryoma? Perhaps you should head to the nurse' office, you're still recovering."

"I'm fine I apologize I seen something outside. It won't happen again."

This surly wasn't the Ryoma everyone knew and adored but after what had happened it wasn't unusual. His answers to questions was still said with the same tone as always, his interest in class appeared to be the same but Hiro knew; the interest wasn't all there. Something captured his attention and Hiro wanted to find out what.

Ryoma left the change room in his uniform and waited with the others by the gate. "Alright we'll start with 20 laps." Tezuca replied with a clap.

Ryoma enjoyed loosing himself in the match against Fuji. As expected he was in the lead and it looked like he was surly going to win. Bright red apeared in the corner of his eye and made him stop abruptly. Fuji, who haddn't noticed, returned Ryomas serve. The tennis ball flew past him and landed by the fence.

"Ryoma-kun, I haven't seen you in a while. Do you remember me?" A guy asked him as he entered the court.

The stranger had bright red eyes with equally bright red hair and stood about 5 foot 10 inches not exactly tall and not really short. He wore no school uniform and in place had a pair of white shorts and a red muscle shirt that showed off his well sculpted body.

"I don't recognize you. Who are you?" Ryoma asked bluntly.

"This hurts, we've been freinds since we were kids. We met in elementry school in America. I actually came here to give you something.' he replied handing over Ryoma's white hat. 'I seen you walking with some freak iutside Maji Burger a few days again and it blew off your head. I was surprised he wouldn't let you get it and you didn't even seem to notice."

"Who are you and where are you from if I may ask?" Fuji asked comming up beside the Chibi.

"I am Shiro, shiro Natsume. I just moved back here from America." He replied placing the hat on Ryomas head.

"I didn't even notice you weren't wearing your hat any more." Fuj replied quriously.

"That is shocking, even for you Fuji.' Replied Tezuka. 'I'm the Captain of the Seigaku Tennis Team, it's nice to meet you Natsume-san."

"Please, just call me Shiro. Take care of that hat Ryoma-kun." He replied with a smile. "You really don't remember anything." The way he said that last part didn't sit well with him.

"70% says he's hiding something and this wasn't just to return a lost hat." Inui said from Ryomas other side.


	4. Transfer of Bussiness

**NOTE:** I noticed my use of kun, san etc. isn't consistent. I went back to the previous chapters and from now on will be using -kun and -san. If this is in fact the incorrect way please let me know and I'll fix it. Sorry this chapter is so late.

* * *

**Prince of Tennis**

_Chapter FOUR: A Transfer of Business_

Ryoma woke up with Karupin sleeping curled up beside him he rubbed the cat's soft head. He looked at his clock noticing he was awake before his alarm could even go off. Today felt like any other normal day, it's something he knew he needed. It had been a while since the fire and none of his memories came back to him.

He shut off his alarm and prepared to school, Karupin followed him down stairs the soft rhythmic pads making him smile. Ryoga was still in bed and Okasan was already out for the day he knew his father would be by the bell ready to ring it soon.

A Japanese breakfast waited for him wrapped up on the table, placing the dish in the microwave he bent down to give Karupin some food and fresh water. Before long his dishes were in the sink and Karupin sat at the edge of the step by the door waiting for Ryoma to leave.

Momo was waiting for him by the gate again with his bike, hoping on the back they headed off to another day of school.

"You seem like your in a good mood today Echizen."

"Betsu ni."

Sighing in relief they were on time for morning practice. Getting changed into their uniforms they both ran out to be greeted by Tezuka.

"You're cutting it close Momo, Echizen."

"Gomen Buchou. Ryoma was late getting out of the house."

"Ne Momo sempi don't blame it on me because you can't peddle fast."

"Enough, we'll start with 20 laps around and the last one has to drink Inui Juice." Inui's glasses gleamed as he held up a cup of bubbling brown and green liquid.

Morning practice was exhausting and the hot shower after wards did wonders to relax tight muscles. Getting dressed quickly Ryoma grabbed his bag and headed to his first class stopping to give a nod to his sempais.

The bell rang and the teacher was a few minutes late when she entered the class with a new student. He had an unusual air about him; Ryoma knew he didn't like him.

"This is Natsume Yuki. Would you please say a few words Natsume San."

"Natsume Yuki, I enjoy playing Tennis and drawing. I also have an older brother attending this school, Natsume Shiro." he replied with a bow and his long orange bangs fell forward to hide his face.

"You may sit next to Echizen Ryoma San. Please stand Echizen San."

Yuki made his way over to where Ryoma stood and stopped in front of him. His blue eyes narrowed with hate and he turned and sat in his seat. This was turning out to not be a very good day, Ryoma rubbed his temples he could feel a headache coming. This kid didn't even know him and he already made him his enemy.

The bell rang for lunch and Ryoma was on his way out, a foot caught his eye and he jumped over it. Glaring at Natsume he continued his way to the roof. Sighing he ignored the footsteps behind him. The roof was deserted for the time being and he had hope it would stay that way. The door opened up behind him and so he turned around.

"What do you want?" Ryoma asked.

"Your head, what else. I heard all about you Ryoma-kun; hope you don't mind I'm going to be getting very familiar with you."

"What have you heard of me that could possible make you hate me so much you want my head?" Ryoma narrowed his eyes.

"Aniki has business with you and I'm dragged along because this is his last chance to make things right. Until you give Aniki what he needs I'm going to be behind you every step you make."

"I have no idea who your Aniki is or what he needs from me. I have nothing of value. Even if I did I wouldn't give it to you. What makes you think you can scar me into giving you anything you want?"

Ryoma wasn't expecting a punch to his face and his nose to start bleeding. Before anything further could happen a tall red haired boy came in, the same from before; Natsume Shiro.

"Yuki what are you doing to him? I told you to behave.' Shiro walked over and grabbed his face to look at his nose.'Doesn't look broken. Head to the washroom and try to stop the bleeding."

The door opened again and Fuji and Eiji walked over "Ochibi, what happened?" Eiji replied running over.

"Itai." he cried as Eiji touched his nose.

"Echizen lets get you cleaned up. I'm sure we must be interrupting something."

Shiro turned back to his little brother with a shine in his eye. As the door clicked shut he gave Yuki a half hug and ruffled his hair.

"Who was that?" Eiji asked.

"Natsume Shiro and his little brother Yuki. They transferred in today." Ryoma replied as Fuji tapped at his nose with a Kleenex.

"I don't trust them." Fuji replied after the bleeding had stopped.

"Why is that Fuji nya?" Eiji inquired hugging Ryoma once more from behind.

Fuji smiled with his eyes closed and gave a shrug. Lunch was almost over and they still hadn't eaten anything. Eiji grabbed Ryoma's hand and pulled him along to a tree outside by the school where the rest of the regulars sat eating their lunches.

Classes seemed to fly by, of course Ryoma could feel Yuki's eyes on him, a hole could have burnt into his skull with the hatred he felt coming off him. More then anything Ryoma wished for practice; he'd be glad to release this pent up energy.

The bell sounded and before anyone could say anything to him his bags were packed and he was making his way to the courts. Changing he headed out to wait for Tezuka to announce their schedule for the day.

"Alright gather up. We have two knew members joining today. Shiro and Yuki Natsume.' Both boys came up from behind and gave a deep bow. 'Yuki is in first year but highly skilled same as his brother. We will be keeping them on reserve. For now 50 laps around and last one has to drink Inui's new juice." Inui's glasses gleamed as he smiled.

Ryoma glared at Yuki and sped off in front of him, leaving the rest behind he turned around and smirked. "So slow!"

"Ochibi is so mean nya."

"I'll show you slow Echizen." Yuki yelled and sped off past him.

The final lap, it was obvious the Sempis were getting tired. The glass of Inui juice gleamed as they made every pass. Yuki and Ryoma running neck and neck with Shiro and Fuji following behind at a leisurely pace.

"Shiro-kun if you don't hurry you'll have to drink Inui juice it's terrible. No one but Fuji has ever been able to stand it." Momo called over his shoulder.

As the last bend was coming up closer Momo ran passed Kaido who picked up speed to pass Eiji and Oishi with Momo. In the end they all collapsed at Inui's feet together with Fuji and Shiro coming in last.

"I was thirsty." Fuji replied as he sipped the juice with a smile on his face.

Shiro smelled the concoction before downing it in one go. Looking up he cocked his head to the side, "Ah, I see now why they don't like the taste. But I've had worse; I quite enjoy this one even the use of..." before he could finish the sentence Fuji covered his mouth.

"Now, now Shiro-kun they don't need to know the secret." his eyes were half open and a shiver ran down his spine.

Shiro gulped and turned to look out past the court a brunette stood hidden half by shadow his green eyes shinned and a smile played his lips. He looked truly happy; Shiro knew the kid was just waiting for him to fail. If he failed it was the kids turn to get what he himself could not.

'I won't fail kid, just you wait.' Shiro though and turned to head to his court with Momo.

* * *

_Betsu ni –_ Nothing, nothing special...etc

_Gomen_ – Sorry

_Buchou_ – Captain

_Itai – _Painful, sore

_Aniki – _Older Brother

_Sempis_ – What a student calls another student who is older then them.


End file.
